Future Prospects of Additive Manufacturing, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "D3: 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 March 2026 | Viewed by 1670

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Yantai Research Institute, Harbin Engineering University, Yantai 264000, China
Interests: additive manufacturing; metals and alloys; metal–matrix composite; microstructure and mechanical properties
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Guest Editor
School of Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
Interests: additive manufacturing; laser powder bed fusion; sintering; titanium alloys; nickel superalloys; aluminum alloys; corrosion behavior; surface treatment; porous structure; mechanical property; microstructure
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
Interests: surface and interface; material chracterization; solid and liquid metals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Manufacturing has always been an industry driven by innovation and technological evolution. In the last four decades, additive manufacturing has revolutionized the manufacturing industry by the rapid prototyping of geometrically complex parts without costly tooling or long lead times. Today, it is fair to say that understanding the future of additive manufacturing is key to getting to grips with the latest trends in manufacturing.

This Special Issue aims to explore the prospects of various additive manufacturing techniques, as well as their innovative applications in aerospace, marine, automobile, healthcare, sustainability, and more. The main focus is on novel techniques and materials for additive manufacturing, microstructure evolution, and the properties of additively manufactured components, process optimization, machine learning assistance, online monitoring and feedback, multi-scale and multi-physics simulations, topology optimization, industrial-scale additive manufacturing, etc. We look forward to receiving your contributions to this Special Issue entitled “Future Prospects of Additive Manufacturing, 2nd Edition” with original research work, review articles, and short communications.

Prof. Dr. Haiyang Fan
Dr. Jincheng Wang
Dr. Youqing Sun
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • dedicated materials for additive manufacturing
  • post-processing technologies
  • topological design for additive manufacturing
  • multi-scale and multi-physics simulations
  • online real-time quality monitoring in additive manufacturing
  • 3D bioprinting
  • hybrid additive manufacturing
  • multi-material additive manufacturing
  • field-assisted additive manufacturing

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 7812 KB  
Article
Study on Microstructures and Properties of FeCoNiCuAlSix High-Entropy Alloy Composite Coatings by Laser Cladding
by Xinyu Zhang, Chun Guo, Guangcan Huang, Zheng Peng, Ruizhang Hu, Qingcheng Lin and Tianyuan Lu
Micromachines 2025, 16(11), 1211; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16111211 - 24 Oct 2025
Viewed by 286
Abstract
FeCoNiCuAl high-entropy alloys exhibit remarkable mechanical properties; nevertheless, these materials struggle to withstand harsh environments because of their insufficient resistance to wear and corrosion. The addition of Si can significantly enhance the alloy’s high-temperature performance, hardness, and wear resistance, thereby making it more [...] Read more.
FeCoNiCuAl high-entropy alloys exhibit remarkable mechanical properties; nevertheless, these materials struggle to withstand harsh environments because of their insufficient resistance to wear and corrosion. The addition of Si can significantly enhance the alloy’s high-temperature performance, hardness, and wear resistance, thereby making it more suitable for applications in high-temperature or corrosive environments. To overcome these drawbacks, this research investigates how varying Si content affects the microstructure and properties of FeCoNiCuAl coatings. Composite coatings of FeCoNiCuAlSix (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0) were fabricated on 65 Mn substrates using laser cladding. Various testing methods, including metallographic microscopy, Vickers hardness testing, friction and wear testing, and electrochemical analysis, were employed to examine the phase structure, microstructure, and hardness of the coating. It is observed that the FeCoNiCuAl coating begins with a uniform FCC phase structure. However, as the Si content increases, a phase transformation to the BCC structure occurs. The microstructure is primarily composed of isometric crystals and dendrites that become finer and more compact with higher Si content. For the FeCoNiCuAlSi2.0 coating, the microhardness reaches 581.05 HV0.2. Additionally, wear resistance shows a positive correlation with Si content. Electrochemical testing in NS4 solution shows that the corrosion potential of the coating increases from −0.471 V for FeCoNiCuAl to −0.344 V for FeCoNiCuAlSi2.0, while the corrosion current density decreases from 1.566 × 10−6 A/cm2 to 4.073 × 10−6 A/cm2. These results indicate that Si addition plays a crucial role in enhancing the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of FeCoNiCuAl coatings, making them more suitable for high-performance applications in extreme environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Future Prospects of Additive Manufacturing, 2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 7421 KB  
Article
Feasibility Study on Reusing Recycled Premixed Multi-Material Powder in the Laser Powder Bed Fusion Process for Thermal Management Application
by Shiming Gao, Shuo Qu, Junhao Ding, Haoming Mo and Xu Song
Micromachines 2025, 16(10), 1186; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16101186 - 20 Oct 2025
Viewed by 344
Abstract
Large-scale applications of multi-material manufacturing technology face many challenges. One major issue is how to reuse the mixed powder left after printing. In this study, we propose using an effective structure design to compensate for the performance loss of reused materials, thereby achieving [...] Read more.
Large-scale applications of multi-material manufacturing technology face many challenges. One major issue is how to reuse the mixed powder left after printing. In this study, we propose using an effective structure design to compensate for the performance loss of reused materials, thereby achieving the purpose of reusing premixed waste powder in certain non-critical thermal management applications. Taking Cu and Ni premixture powder as an example, some explorations were then conducted on the feasibility of the proposed concept. The morphological inspection confirms that the powder mixture exhibits satisfactory homogeneity, while the Hall flow rate measurements reveal that its flowability is closer to that of pure Ni. The compression tests show that the fabricated Cu-Ni specimens have good energy absorption, whereas tensile tests reveal their favorable ductility. The numerical analysis indicates that the effect of convection heat transfer is much greater than that of conduction heat transfer. Heat transfer experiments show that the Cu-Ni heat exchanger exhibits comparable performance to pure Cu, with a heat transfer effectiveness deviation of less than 1.3%. Previous results indicate that effective structure design can offset the loss of material properties, allowing premixed powders to be utilized in heat exchanger production as a means of recycling waste powders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Future Prospects of Additive Manufacturing, 2nd Edition)
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16 pages, 6762 KB  
Article
Microstructure and Performance Evolution of Post-Plastic Deformed Austenitic Stainless Steel Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting
by Huimin Tao, Zi Li, Linlin Ma, Yafang Cai, Haiteng Xiu, Mingming Ding and Zeqi Tong
Micromachines 2025, 16(10), 1104; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16101104 - 28 Sep 2025
Viewed by 401
Abstract
With the rapid development of additive manufacturing technology, selective laser melting (SLM) of austenitic stainless steel has been widely used. SLM stainless steel will inevitably deform during service, so it is necessary to study the microstructure and macro properties of post-plastic deformed SLM [...] Read more.
With the rapid development of additive manufacturing technology, selective laser melting (SLM) of austenitic stainless steel has been widely used. SLM stainless steel will inevitably deform during service, so it is necessary to study the microstructure and macro properties of post-plastic deformed SLM stainless steel. In this paper, the changes in the microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance of SLM304 stainless steel after stretch deformation were studied, and the evolution rules were revealed. The results show that, with an increasing plastic deformation amount, SLM304 stainless steel exhibits grain fragmentation, disordered orientation, and subgrain formation, along with changes in the shape and size of the cellular structure. Additionally, the α’ martensite content inside SLM304 stainless steel rises significantly, while the thickness of the surface passivation film slightly decreases. The analysis shows that the combined effect of the complex microstructure makes the nanohardness of SLM304 stainless steel increase with the increase in the stretch deformation amount while its corrosion resistance deteriorates. Therefore, moderate post-plastic deformation can enable SLM stainless steel to balance excellent mechanical and corrosion properties. This study can not only provide a theoretical reference for the performance optimization of additive manufacturing steel but also provide value for the engineering application of additive manufacturing technology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Future Prospects of Additive Manufacturing, 2nd Edition)
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Review

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29 pages, 4627 KB  
Review
Research Status of Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Metallic Ultrasonic Welding
by Yu Hu and Huan Li
Micromachines 2025, 16(10), 1185; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16101185 - 20 Oct 2025
Viewed by 433
Abstract
This study provides a comprehensive review of ultrasonic welding research in molecular dynamics simulations, encompassing the latest advancements by scholars worldwide. Compared to traditional welding methods, ultrasonic welding offers advantages such as faster processing speed, higher mechanical strength, and environmentally friendly characteristics. However, [...] Read more.
This study provides a comprehensive review of ultrasonic welding research in molecular dynamics simulations, encompassing the latest advancements by scholars worldwide. Compared to traditional welding methods, ultrasonic welding offers advantages such as faster processing speed, higher mechanical strength, and environmentally friendly characteristics. However, its process parameters are subject to multiple influencing factors. Molecular dynamics simulations enable the detailed visualization of material interactions and structural changes at atomic/molecular levels during ultrasonic welding. These simulations not only predict how different process parameters affect weld quality but also facilitate the rapid identification of viable solutions, thereby reducing experimental iterations and lowering R&D costs. This review delves into the core theoretical issues pertaining to ultrasonic welding, providing robust support for practical applications. Additionally, specific optimization strategies are proposed to enhance welding performance and efficiency, promoting sustainable development in related industries. Future research could focus on exploring ultrasonic welding mechanisms under complex structures and multi-component systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Future Prospects of Additive Manufacturing, 2nd Edition)
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